I commented there but it’s something I’ve been wanting to share for awhile. So in response to the universal question, was he stupid:

Not dumb per se, more of an attitude thing (mixed with desperation)..

Stay with me here for a moment. See, human beings have a inherent mental flaw. We ALL think that everyone (yes, everyone) thinks exactly like we do BY DEFAULT! It is only if we are taught differently that we understand otherwise. Frankly some people never learn or else they “know” but they never act on said knowledge. This is why the more asinine a person’s ideas are the more he expects you to agree with them. Like gun control…

Now, watch the first few minutes of the movie The Crow. It’s fiction but it has a very realistic portrayal of criminal behavior. The thugs have a pissing contest and long story short, they “bluff” each other with their guns. It’s similar to dogs growling at each other for dominance. There is a large amount of “facing off” and looking dominant prevents people from challenging your dominance.

So if you have a low level thug who “gets by” via bluffing, well his ignorant ass will naturally believe that a gun in plain sight is a bluff. A way to look tough so no one messes with ya’.

Thus, the store clerk with an openly carried gun? All for show, he’ll never reach for it. I mean, NO ONE is going to call a buff when you have YOUR gun pointed at them. Right?? Bueller? Bueller?

BTW, this explains why some thugs are so very violent to compliant or unassuming victims. After all, the less a threat you are, the less the other person needs to hurt you (right??) To avoid being threatening, the victims look weak. So they are treated as the weak are treated in that morally bankrupt culture; savagely. In short, the easier it is to hit you the harder they hit you.